December 22, 2025
Published by 
Jared Tanke on December 22, 2025
Jared Tanke on December 22, 2025Marty Blackwood, age 75, had spent his life doing what few others could: running a small-town funeral home operation in the rural South nearly single-handedly. A lifelong servant of his community, Marty had built a reputation as both dependable and deeply personal in his care for families. Over the years he had expanded his single location into a three-rooftop business. Together his funeral homes served just over 100 families a year, a manageable volume for decades, but now the demands of middle-of-the-night calls and increasingly complex operations were wearing him down. Marty knew it was time to plan his exit. The challenge was understanding what his business was actually worth. One of his longtime advisors suggested a $2.5 million valuation, a number that sounded good, perhaps too good. The business produced about $300,000 in annual cash flow, meaning that figure […]
December 22, 2025
Published by 
Axel Jean-Francois on December 22, 2025
Axel Jean-Francois on December 22, 2025A December reflection I came across that video again the other night. Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World. Israel Kamakawiwoʻole. Most people know the song. Fewer people stop to consider what they’re actually watching. It isn’t a music video. It’s a tribute. Ashes being scattered. A community present with intention. No narration. No explanation. Nothing telling you what to feel or how to interpret it. And yet it works. More than a billion views. A billion quiet pauses. People stopping for a few minutes longer than they planned to. There’s no optimization behind that. No framing. No attempt to guide the reaction. Just something human, landing where it lands. What makes that interesting is the story we often tell ourselves alongside it. That people are moving away from funerals. That ritual is fading. That services are becoming […]
November 25, 2025
Published by 
Luke Potter on November 25, 2025
Luke Potter on November 25, 2025In the funeral profession, operational issues rarely appear overnight. Most red flags emerge slowly, but with quiet signs that something is slipping. For owners juggling families, staffing, community obligations, day-to-day operations, and life in general, it’s easy for these warning signs to go unnoticed, but identifying them early can be the difference. Red flags aren’t failures; they are signals. And the most successful owners are the ones who recognize and address them before they become irreversible. One of the biggest warning signs is inconsistent call volume. Whether calls are declining, stagnating, or shifting toward lower-margin services, the trend matters far more than any single year’s performance. A weak or unclear understanding of market share is another major indicator of a red flag, especially when competition increases or consumer preferences shift. Cremation mix, pricing position, and your alignment with community demographics […]
November 25, 2025
Published by 
Chris Cruger on November 25, 2025
Chris Cruger on November 25, 2025Each November, business leaders in every profession pause to look ahead. For funeral home owners and cemetery operators, this isn’t just an annual exercise in forecasting; it’s an opportunity to figure out whether the next year will bring growth, stability or stagnation. If 2025 taught funeral home owners anything, it’s that they can no longer afford to coast. Consumer expectations are evolving faster than the profession can respond. Competition is intensifying. Technology– particularly artificial intelligence – is advancing at breakneck speed. The firms that thrive in 2026 will be those that prepare with clarity, intentionality and discipline right now. This past year, in this column for The Director, I’ve explored themes that point toward this moment. These include the education gap with families, the role of valuations as business self-care, the complexities of succession, the digital avalanche that’s shaping consumer […]
October 30, 2025
Published by 
Matt Blackwell on October 30, 2025
Matt Blackwell on October 30, 2025Selling a funeral home or cemetery business is one of the biggest transitions an owner can experience. It’s emotional, it’s complex, and it often feels like unfamiliar territory. That’s where Foresight comes in. Our business representation process is designed to be clear, collaborative, and centered around your goals. From the very first conversation to the moment funds are transferred, our team walks beside you every step of the way. Phase 1: The First Conversation Every relationship starts with understanding. During our initial discussions, we get to know your business: Its history, your role in the community, and what you hope to achieve in a sale. From there, we gather key information and conduct a valuation to establish a realistic picture of your business’s worth. The more complete your information, the smoother and faster this first step moves. Phase 2: Marketing […]